The Heart of a Hamada
by Effervescent Dreamer
Summary: She's danced this masquerade waltz of being fine for over ten years. What's it to her, to do it one more time? Because Hiro isn't the only grieving soul in the Lucky Cat cafe.
1. Breaking down but not alone

The Heart of a Hamada

I don't own Big Hero 6.

One thing to note, I just played around with Cass's full name because Cass sounds like it could be short for either Cassandra or Cassidy and I picked Barnes because it seemed like a basic last name and Hamada really sounds like it would be her brother-in-law's last name, not her sister. I hope you like this fic!

* * *

><p>Chop. Chop. Chop.<p>

The knife slid in through the vegetables with ease in a quick a fluid motion. Chopping was good, it was fast, and it was rhythmic, why she could practically do it with her eyes closed as she simply relied on muscle memory. It let her focus. It let her be numb.

It let her forget.

Oh, no not that she could ever forget. Cassandra Barnes knew too much about pain, about tragedy and loss to ever forget. And how could she? She didn't just lose things, like a pair of boots, or like misplacing her keys. No, she lost people. People whom were dear to her heart. So Cass did what she did best, something that she had to learn over a decade ago how to do. She compartmentalized; pushed back what feelings that weren't, couldn't be necessary at the time and focused on them later. That later was usually when she went down into the supply cellar where she knew she could be alone—Mochi hated going below the café— and fall to her knees, wailing for what felt like hours at a time.

What broke her heart even more was knowing that the boy whom was registering for his college courses might now have to do the same. Luckily though, that might not be for years even, as her surviving nephew was still so young and still apt to wear his emotions on his sleeve. Perhaps this would give Cass the chance to help Hiro through this dark time.

Cass swallowed the lump that rose in her throat as it hit her once more as to why her small family was going through a dark time. They had been hit with tragedy once again.

Tadashi had died.

It was to have been Hiro's big night, and it in way, it had been Cass and Tadashi's big night too for they had finally found a way to get Hiro to explore life beyond bot fighting thanks to the latter's idea to showcase to his younger brother just how amazing his college experience was and by dropping the not-so subtle hint that one of Hiro's idols taught at the school his brother was attending.

It had been spectacular, watching her younger nephew's fantastic creation come to life, rendering nearly everyone in that large hall silent as they watched his presentation in awe. Cass herself had been so thrilled and proud that she told nearly everyone in the close vicinity that the genius boy up on that stage was her nephew. And then, for the piece de resistance, Hiro had gotten what he set out to achieve, he got a spot in the university—that "nerd school" Cass had heard him call it—beside his hero, his brother.

And yet, not ten minutes after the showcase had ended, disaster struck the school as it had been set ablaze via arson as Cassandra would later find out. In the meantime, she had gone home to prepare a celebratory feast, blissfully unaware that once again; her world would come crashing down as it had once done over ten years ago. She had been in the midst of adding oil to a heating frying pan when there was a knock on the door.

The police were there on the other side, and this time, there was only one grief-filled nephew flinging himself into her bewildered form. One, not _two_.

Tadashi had died.

He had run into the burning building, sacrificing himself in attempt to rescue his beloved professor. It had all been for naught. And in a way, it had almost cost her Hiro too, for she had found out that in his worry, Cass's nephew remained close to the burning building in the hopes that his older brother would be returning shortly instead of being thrown back by the propulsion of an _explosion_.

An explosion of all things!

Chop. Chop. Chop…

That lump in her throat was swelling, making it difficult to breathe as tears filled her eyes. She wanted to blame it on the onions she was cutting, she really did, but she was too clever of a chef to forget the tricks that prevented saline from clouding her vision. Cass bit her lip, trying to hold back not just the sobs, but the taunting words that her mind was playing over and over again.

Tadashi had died. And he wasn't ever coming back.

Flinging the knife into the sink, Cass finally gave into her sorrow and began to sob. She whirled around so her back was against the countertop as she slid to the floor, hiding her face in her hands, knees bent to her chest as she cried and cried. It was just like when her nephews' parents had died. Everything hurt and everything was numb and surreal all at once. Her chest constricted with the phantom agony of heartache and left her breathless.

She had lost her sister, her best friend and her dear, kind brother-in-law. Now her nephew was gone.

Hiro was all Cass had left and she was all he had left. It wasn't fair, it wasn't right! She was supposed to have gone first. Before_ both _of them. In the back of her mind, Cass was starting to have stronger thoughts about once picking up a parental book. Maybe there was a chapter on stopping your nephew from throwing himself into danger for the greater good, even if he did have a big heart like his father.

The heart of a Hamada.

She wasn't sure how long she cried for, all she knew was that the tears came to an abrupt stop when she heard footsteps on the cement steps outside of her Lucky Cat café and what sounded like Hiro's harried voice. Cass quickly stood up and did her best to wipe away any evidence of her heart's despair, now was not the time to be all emotional. She needed to be strong and she needed to be there for Hiro.

She needed to compartmentalize.

Reaching for the knife she had been using, Cass rinsed it off and with showmanship finesse, twirled it before resuming her onion chopping, her movements faster and slightly erratic as she did everything in her power to reign in her emotions as she heard the small bell attached to the front door chime as her nephew walked in.

"Hi, sweetie!" Cass called out, hoping beyond hope that Hiro couldn't hear that the cheerfulness in her voice was forced.

"H-hey, Aunt Cass!" Hiro called back. He still sounded harried; maybe registration was crazier than she thought. Maybe she should have gone with him.

"How was school, college man?" she asked when she heard him come close to the kitchen. She turned to face him, knife still in hand so she could move onto the next ingredient meant for his special dinner.

He seemed sheepish, "oh…heh. It…it was fine…got my schedu—" He cut off as his eyes grew wide. "Aunt Cass, you're bleeding!"

Cassandra blinked. Bleeding? Following the path of Hiro's panicked gaze, she noted that there was indeed a small slice on both the index and middle finger of her right hand and indeed there was blood. She frowned, guessing that she had taken longer to curb her sorrow than she thought. She was never careless with her utensils.

Her frown turned into a smile as she waved off her nephew's concern. "It's shallow, little man, I'll be fine." She turned back to run her cut under cold water, keeping her head facing half toward Hiro. "Dinner will be ready in about twenty, sound good?"

Hiro was about to respond when a loud voice that sounded almost…robotic chimed out, "wheeee!"

"What was that?"

More rambling from the fourteen-year old, "oh! Uh…It…i-it must've been Mochi! Heh." He tried for bravado. "That…that darn cat." Said cat was actually slinking around the boy's ankles and purring loudly. Hiro stared down at the feline in dismay, why couldn't anything make any sense today?

Shaking his head, he faced his aunt's back once more. "I'm actually gonna eat in my room, Aunt Cass, if that's okay with you. There's just so much to catch up on with all of the classes that I missed…"

Cass nodded absently, barely hearing Hiro's distracted tone. "Sure, sweetie, I'll bring you up a plate soon." Hearing his response of "sounds good" and a quick race up the steps, Cass's attention returned once more to her injured fingers. She frowned as blood continued to flow out of the wounds. Why was she still bleeding? Her skin was practically numb. It clicked when she realized it still needed pressure. Perhaps it was deeper than she thought.

In the back of her mind, Cass could hear her older sister's voice, slightly chiding and yet amused. _'C'mon, Cassandra, that's First Aid 101.'_ Oh how Lizzie loved calling her by her full first name, especially when she stressed the middle "a" like her sister was one of those snooty, upper-class types. She was always amused by whatever reaction she got out of the younger Barnes daughter.

Forcing down the lump that was once again rising in her throat, Cass gripped the counter as she closed her eyes and inhaled sharply. She was not going to lose it. Not again. But, she told herself, if she thought she was going to lose control, then she was sure as hell going to do so in the storage unit where Hiro couldn't hear. He was slowly bringing himself up. She wasn't going to cause him to come crashing down again just because of a few tears on her part.

"Aunt Cass?"

She flinched at the sound of her nephew's voice, just barely clinging to the towel that was wrapped around her fingers. "Are you okay?"

Pasting a smile on her face, Cass turned to face Hiro. "I told you that this cut is manageable. I'm gonna be fine, sweetie."

Hiro frowned slightly, not entirely convinced. "Are you sure this is just about the cut?"

"What else could it be about?"

They both knew, but they didn't want to say.

Tadashi was gone.

An awkward silence filled the kitchen as they mentally acknowledged that they were lying to one another. Cass's smile became strained as she realized that lying was probably not recommended in the parenting book she should have picked up years ago.

Ruffling Hiro's spiky black locks with her good hand, she tilted her head toward the frying pan. "Wanna help me finish dinner? I mean, I can do this one handed, I'm not helpless, but I feel like I haven't seen you in forever." Her gaze became pointed. "And you _need_ to eat, kiddo."

A sheepish grin spread across Hiro's face. "Y-yeah, I know…I just…haven't been up to it, is all." He rubbed his arm as a further sign of discomfort.

Cass's face softened as she gently nudged Hiro with her good arm. "Well, so long as you make an effort to try something tonight, I won't keep nagging you anymore, deal?"

"Deal." There was a pause before Hiro then added, "I'm gonna head back up to my room. But first…" he slips past his aunt with ease and grabbing a spatula, quickly stirring around the ingredients in the pan to his satisfaction and plated it. He stood up on the balls of his feet and planted a fast kiss on Cass's cheek before darting out of the kitchen and once more bounding up the stairs to his asylum, because she knows that's what feels to the boy. Not in terms of refuge, but a place for the insane, because how can one grieve without going a little insane?

After stowing all dishes and utensils that have been caked with grease and grit, tears and effort into the dishwasher; Cass flips the switch and heads into the living room. She sits on the couch and reaches for the remote which is resting on one of the end tables, her eyes meeting brown orbs not quite as large as the ones belonging to the young teen hiding in his second-floor bedroom. She bites her lip and gently places the frame facedown as she does everything in her power to remain calm. _Compartmentalize, Cassandra! Compartmentalize! Hiro needs you to be strong; he still isn't ready to fly on his own yet._

Breathing through her nose, Cass picked up the remote without even looking at it. She then flipped on the television, Mochi hopping up to then settle on her lap, one hand stroking through his multi-colored fur. Her thumb rapidly pressed down the "up" button as she channel surfed, the digit slipping for a second and landing her on a wrestling match.

Oh. Wrestling.

_It was what had helped Cass bond with Tadashi believe it or not. It had been a typically warm autumn evening in San Fransokyo and both aunt and older brother had finally settled down a very insistent, very __**not**__-sleepy three year old Hiro. The pair had tip-toed down the stairs for it was not yet Tadashi's own bedtime and not surprisingly, his homework was done and her help wasn't needed. Still completely new to the thought of being a full-time guardian, Cass had been unsure of what to do with her nephew for it was before games were introduced to her home and no books of hers were worthy of his inquiring, young and still fairly innocent mind._

_So she had turned on the T.V. and wrestling had been the first thing to pop up. Tadashi had turned to her with a raised brow and slightly curious look in his eye. "You like wrestling, Aunt Cass?"_

_Cass had chuckled. "Well, this is actually a new television and new cable package for me, kiddo, I haven't quite located the 'Hamada-friendly' channels yet."_

"_You're a Hamada," Tadashi had replied quietly._

_Cass had smiled gently and was about to point out the technicalities when her elder nephew plowed on. "I mean, I know that your family name is really my mom's maiden name, but I'm serious, you're a Hamada. My dad loved you as much as my mom did…" he then wrapped his arms around Cass's middle from the side. "And I love you and so does Hiro. So, you're a Hamada. Plus you've got the heart of one."_

_Cassandra glanced at her nephew from the side. "And what exactly is a Hamada heart like?"_

_Tadashi had shrugged, still hugging his aunt, for his emotional scars were still too fresh and he was still of an age where hugging was acceptable. "It's big…and…and filled with lots of love. And compassion. And it knows how to heal other hearts."_

_Cass held back her own tears as she returned the embrace. "Okay then, sweetie, I'm a Hamada." Wanting to distract the ten year old from any more pain, she then gestured back to the television. "So, does that mean us big-hearted Hamadas watch something other than wrestling? Something sappier?" She leaned in closer, mischief written all over her face. "Do you wanna watch a soap opera with your auntie?"_

_Tadashi had recoiled at that, pulling away from his guardian completely. He'd made a face and shook his head vigorously. "I think I'd prefer the wrestling match." And so the two had watched wrestling; quickly becoming engrossed in the program. Each had picked a side and Cass would tickle her nephew and teased him when his fictional champion lost a round, though they tried to keep their mirth down so as to not wake Hiro. _

_Yet the tinier Hamada had shown up at the top of the steps in tears, having suffered a nightmare and Tadashi had leaped up and caught the child up in his arms before Cass could even stand up herself. The two consoled Hiro with hugs and words of reassurance that he was fine and that his world would not become smaller._

_The night soon found Aunt Cass with her back pressed against the corner of the couch, her slender legs only taking up half of the seat cushions. Tadashi took up the other half, though his right leg was tossed across both of Cass's and Hiro was sprawled out between the two of them, conked out completely within a matter of minutes. Tadashi leaned his head against Cass's shoulder while he held one of his brother's tiny, dimpled hands; their aunt stroking the boy's sweaty, wild inky locks._

"_Toldja you're a Hamada," the elder boy had whispered, not taking his eyes off the television screen. Cass remembered smiling in bemusement, for all it seemed like what she had done was what any normal parent would do in such a situation. Yet the words meant something dear to Tadashi…_

…_though Cass would never know what it was._

She came out of her memories with the feeling of fresh grief hitting her with full force. All at once, several stages of grief hit her. Denial; no, no, Tadashi could not be gone. It simply wasn't possible…no, he wasn't gone, any minute he was going to come walking in through the front door with a big, kind smile on his face as he launched excitedly into a verbal exposition on his latest project. He was _not_ dead.

Anger; anger at the monster who started that fire in the first place and threatened the lives of not just her boys, but many others including a beloved professor whom had also been lost. Anger at Tadashi for even though it was a noble move on his part it was also _reckless_ for he wasn't equipped for such a situation, not like a fire fighter. She's angry at herself for not insisting that her boys come home right then and she's stupidly angry with Hiro for not getting his brother away from the burning school and to come back _with_ him.

Bargaining; oh Cass had pleaded with and prayed to all sorts of deities that this was all just some sick, sick dream that she and Hiro and the rest of San Fransokyo would eventually wake up and that Tadashi was just fine, that he was _alive_.

Depression, well, that was always with her, clinging to her like an ethereal Queen's cape, she was just much better at hiding it than others.

Acceptance. Acceptance was a tricky one. It's where her heart and mind warred most of all. For although her mind constantly whispered sibilant whispers that Tadashi was indeed gone and there was nothing that Cassandra Barnes could do about it, her heart just wasn't ready to believe that yet as all she wants is to cleave to a desperate—oh she knows it's non-existant—thread of _hope_ that her tilted world would right itself.

The lump in her throat returned with a vengeance as her forest green eyes filled with tears and her breath hitched. She quickly turned up the volume so as to not disturb Hiro for she knew she would never make it down to the food cellar in time.

Mochi leaped down from her lap, meowing his indignation as Cass wailed, sobbing hysterically with hot tears rolling down her cheeks and burning a path across her heart. The remote fell to the floor with a clatter as she once more buried her face in her hands, crying and doing her best to muffle the screams of anguish ripping themselves from her throat. Her nephew, one of her boys; one of her genius, big-hearted boys was gone and it hurt like _hell_.

Cass struggled to keep her breathing in check as it kept hitching while she tried to simultaneously wipe her eyes and swallow that damn lump in her throat. The only thing that snapped her out of her grief induced hysteria was that robotic voice she just knew she had heard earlier.

"On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your _emotional _pain?"

With an effort, Cass raised her tear-filled gaze and came face to face with a concerned, bulbous, white…robot? Wait a moment…

"Baymax?" the grieving aunt whispered as memories of an excited Tadashi eagerly filling her in on the details of his latest project, the one it seemed he was the most passionate about and was pouring his heart and soul into came rushing forth.

"Hello, Cassandra," Tadashi's creation greeted her calmly—Cass had forgotten he was brought to her home following the funeral. "I perceived your sounds of emotional distress from upstairs in Hiro's room and came to see if I could do anything to help. Therefore on a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your emotional pain?"

"Ten," Cass's voice was hoarse. No, it was more like a twenty for not only was she mourning Tadashi, she was mourning her late sister and brother-in-law too.

Baymax blinked his optic orbs. "As I was informing Hiro earlier, it is recommended that one seeks out the company of others during their time of grief."

She opened her mouth to reply, but was stopped by a new voice instead. "Aunt Cass?" She looked past Baymax up toward her nephew whom was watching her from the stairs, his large brown eyes even wider with concern for her. Before she could muster the strength to put a smile on her face, Hiro was at her side, hugging her tightly.

His face was buried in her shoulder. "I'm so sorry," he mumbled. "I'm sorry, Aunt Cass. I forgot how you might be feeling about this…this…never-ending nightmare."

Wiping her eyes, Cass doesn't say anything at first, just wraps an arm around Hiro's shoulders as she tries to swallow that damned lump in her throat born of heart break. "It's not your fault," she finally whispered when the silence becomes too deafening for her to bear. "I'm the one who should be comforting you, not the other way around."

"But you have been," Hiro insisted as he leans away to wipe his own eyes. He smiled weakly when he notices Baymax proffering a box of tissues. "Thanks, buddy," he tells the robot quietly, taking a tissue. He doesn't use it though, instead passes it to Cass who murmurs her own thanks to the two and continues to wipe her still weeping eyes.

"You've comforted me," Hiro picked up from where he left off. "You've been there for and you've done everything in your power to get me to live when all I wanted to do was shut the world out. To…to cease being me." He hung his head as he went on with his revelation. "Because I felt like…without…without …Tadashi, I just…couldn't be me anymore." He glanced up at Baymax, "but I think I might have found my purpose again."

There's a secret in his voice, one Cass should be paying more attention to, but right now she's just grateful that her nephew is here and talking to her, not just holing up in his room or shooting off to a future he's desperate to make himself ready for. She heaved a watery sigh and manages to form what finally feels like a genuine smile. "We're family, Hiro, that's what we do. We have each other's backs and do our best to pull one another out of whatever darkness we may have plunged ourselves into."

"We're Hamadas," Hiro confirmed her words with a nod. Her mind shoots back to when ten year old Tadashi said those words and even though Cass still isn't entirely certain as to what they mean, she finds that it's okay, for now. Maybe okay isn't the right word, but she knows and Hiro knows too that one day it will be okay and the memories won't inflict such fierce pain. Maybe not by tomorrow or the day after that or even the following year. But she has Hiro by her side and he has Aunt Cass by his and in that moment, it seems like enough.

The two settled back into a position that was once formed by three as they watched Baymax toddle after Mochi who is on the hunt for any scraps the usually meticulous Cass might have left behind in the kitchen calling for the "hairy baby". Cass laughed for the first time in weeks, it was a good nickname.

Hiro leaned into her shoulder and she stroked her way through his spiky locks of ink, absent-mindedly humming an old lullaby. He's too old for such things and to be honest, she isn't sure if she's "mom" enough for it, but neither one of them mind and the tune weaves its way through the serenity of the air and for the first time in what feels like eons, there is peace is the Hamada household.

* * *

><p>Hello, Big Hero 6 fandom! I love this movie dearly though I haven't written fanfiction in about four years! That being said, I hope this was decent. Another thing to be said, I shouldn't be allowed to write grief pieces, I cried several times when writing this. Oh dear. I've got to admit, I'm a little disappointed that I didn't know where to fit in Baymax so he doesn't have much to say. Nor did I touch much on the "Heart of a Hamada". Maybe I can continue this and explain it there.<p> 


	2. From the Beginning

**The Heart of a Hamada**

**Disclaimer: BH6 is not mine. Kind of a bummer.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 2: From the beginning<p>

Despite the earlier peace with her nephew she had managed to achieve, Cass just could not extend that peacefulness into her sleep schedule. Her eyes still burned due to the saline of her tears which made attempting the REM cycle really rather uncomfortable. She groaned in frustration as she tossed around on her bed, huffing several strands of light chestnut hair out of her eyes. Her bed felt too hard, her limbs surprisingly felt too long and she felt way too hot. That last part made her frown a bit for San Fransokyo had been rather cool with its weather as they headed toward autumn. And she was_not_ going through the change—she was still much too young for that, thank you.

Sighing gustily, Cass heaved herself up from her bed and slipped out into the hallway, adjusting the dimmer so she would have a lighted path, but wouldn't be blinded by it. She made her way to the kitchen and grabbed a glass, filling it with water. In the back of her mind, she recalled her sister teasingly suggesting that the younger Barnes girl drink warm milk even though it just wasn't something either sibling could do despite suffering from insomnia. There was a ghost of heartache as she thought of her late sister, but that's all it was, gradually softening in pain as the years passed. Cass downed the water, grimly wondering how long it would take for the searing pain of Tadashi's death to subside for _her,_ never mind the boy sleeping upstairs.

That was the thing about grief, it wasn't ever simple. Rather, it was like an ocean instead of a steady stream. There were moments of "low tide"; of calm and ease, the thought of moving on with life wasn't so bad and it was okay to not resent the sun for shining brightly. But then high tide could roll in out of nowhere and punch one in the heart with the reality that their loved one is gone and there's nothing they could do about it. Despite her deep love for Tadashi for he had been dear to Cass's life for all twenty years that she'd known him, she was determined to stay in the "low tide" because she was tired damn it. Physically exhausted and emotionally exhausted. Frankly, she was just so done with being sad. That in of itself seemed like a lot of work and she already had enough on her plate.

Blowing out another sigh, Cass slumped into one of the chairs at the small table and stretched her limbs. She eyed the fridge, but was too lazy to partake in "stress eating", mentally filing away the location for the chocolate chip muffin she knew was stowed away behind the metal door, saving it for when she actually counted those morning hours. If it was three AM, that was the middle of the night and nothing was going to budge Cassandra Barnes from that position. She yawned and closed her eyes only to find much to her annoyance that once again they still burned and watered and sleep just wasn't achievable yet. Briefly she wondered if she could sneak up to the attic and ask Baymax for something to aid her but then chuckled quietly as she shook her head. There was little doubt that Cass would instead receive a lecture on the health hazards of taking medication for assistance with sleep.

She stood with her glass in hand, meaning to go get another drink of water, wincing as the chair scraped loudly across the linoleum floor. She held her breath for a beat, hoping that Hiro was still asleep. She inched toward the sink when a voice called out.

"Aunt Cass?"

Cass bit back a shriek and clenched the glass so tightly that if she didn't know it to be thick, she would have feared it could have shattered in her grip. Turning, she saw Hiro standing there, large brown eyes watching her with a look of both curiosity and concern. She easily managed a warm smile. "Can't sleep, sweetie?"

Hiro returned the smile, albeit a bit sheepishly and shrugged. "I'm too keyed up for some reason and kinda thirsty." He eyed the glass in her hand. "I'm guessing that's why you're up too?"

"For the most part," his aunt agreed as she moved toward the sink, her heart rate slowing. She grabbed another glass and filled both of them up, handing one to Hiro. "And ridiculously hot for some reason."

"Well, it could be because you're—" Hiro began.

Cassandra levelled him with a small glare. "Don't you dare."

He held up his hands in a sign of peace. "I was going to ask if you're feverish. Y'know, if you don't get enough sleep your body's immune system starts to deteriorate leaving you susceptible to sicknesses and diseases." He tilted his head up toward the stairs, "d'you want me to go get Baymax and have him scan you?"

Cass smiled softly and shook her head. She took her seat at the table again, drinking some of the water. "Just let him rest in his charger. That's where he is, right?"

"Yeah," a silence fell as Hiro played with the rim of his still full glass while Cass watched him, doing her own scan and making certain that he was starting to take care of himself. Idly she wondered if it was necessary to ask Baymax to keep a closer eye on him. There was little doubt that Tadashi wouldn't have programmed such a function within his creation's parameters.

Eventually Hiro took a seat across from his aunt still playing with the glass. It seemed he wasn't just quite ready to return to his room. He had shared it with his brother and Cass was amazed that he slept in there without too much of a problem. Her heart then clenched in sadness as she imagined the little boy in front of her curled up on his big brother's bed, perhaps clenching that black baseball hat as he fervently wished for his brother to come back. Perhaps she wasn't wrong. After all, that thought was a near mental image of what she herself had done when Elizabeth died. She took a long drink of her water, forcing away that infernal lump in her throat.

She started when Hiro finally spoke. "What were my parents like?"

Cass raised a brow at that, slowly placing her glass on the table. "Why're you suddenly thinking about them, Hiro?"

Her nephew shrugged before finally taking a sip from his own glass of water. "I just wanted to fill the silence. To talk about anything and they're what came to mind." He looked up at her. "Are you comfortable talking about them?"

She grinned. "Of course, I am. We'll have to start somewhat at the beginning. You don't need to know of every detail of my sister's life before she met your father." She leaned back and looked up at the ceiling, thoughtful. "Well, I guess we can start with the basics. Your mother's name is Elizabeth, her maiden name is Barnes. Our parents were so busy with their jobs and societal standing that it was often up to us to look after one another."

_That and they're some of the most racist bastards I've ever known,_ Cass kept that view to herself, not wanting her nephew to look too deeply into the relationship he had with his grandparents. Or lack thereof. Tadashi knew, however. He'd known as soon as he learned what racism was, which if Cass was not mistaken, it was when the boy had been eight.

"There's a five year difference between the two of us, her being the older one; and her eyes were lighter than mine, closer to turquoise than my forest green. Come to think of it, there was a time when Lizzie resented the way I looked."

Hiro frowned at this, "she did? Why?"

"Well, believe it or not, it had to do with our ancestry."

Now her nephew was confused. "Our…ancestry? I don't follow, Aunt Cass."

"Patience," Cassandra replied. "I'm getting to that. See, on your maternal side you're actually descended from Great Scottian. Scottian _royal_ lines to be exact." She rolled her eyes. "We once found an old tapestry depicting the royal family we're connected to. And I guess I somewhat resembled the queen. Though I have no idea what my sister was complaining about! She shared traits with the princess! Right down to the tenacity we heard of in legends of the great 'bear princess'." Cass paused and looked pointedly at Hiro. "It seems like you've inherited that tenacity too, young man."

Hiro did his best to look innocent. "I have no idea what you mean, Aunt Cass."

She mirrored his innocent gaze, head tilted. "Is that so, Mister Bot-fighter?"

"Hey, that's Mister Ex-Bot Fighter," Hiro retorted. "I'm a college man, now. Totally mature, bot fighting's part of a past life."

"Uh-huh."

Hiro laughed, a blush crawling across his face. "Anyway…anything more on my parents?"

Cass shrugged. "Might as well fast forward to the good stuff. Your parents met when they were sixteen and I was eleven. They were in physics together and were eventual lab partners. I remember your mom coming home and constantly gushing over how dreamy and smart Tomeo Hamada was. And to my eleven year old mind who didn't really see the point in dating just yet, your father unfortunately did prove to be intelligent and not all that unappealing to the eye. He was very kind too, although it took months for me to really believe in his kindness; I was convinced he was only playing nice with me because he was dating my older sister.

Four months into their relationship I was proven wrong when I saw Tomeo volunteering at a youth center. I was able to see just how genuine he was around other kids; he was seen as their big brother." Cass smirked and looked at Hiro with an amused twinkle in her eye.

"There were around fifty kids, mind you, and it seemed like he had a connection with every single one of them. When I apologized to him for being so judgmental, he was so happy and sheepish kinda like those 'aw shucks' types you get in anime. It turned out that he was an only child who just wanted to be like an older figure sibling to others; I guess in a way he latched onto me since I'd be around my sister consistently due to the fact that the couple usually met up at my childhood house and Elizabeth would be charged with watching over me more often than not."

Hiro's eyes were wide as he easily imagined his father as the way Aunt Cass described him. Sheepish and caring and highly intelligent. His father sounded an awful lot like Tadashi, just like Aunt Cass had said. Though to be fair, while Tadashi was known for being modest when necessary, Hiro couldn't honestly remember a time when his older brother could be described as "sheepish".

Shaking his head lightly to move past the thoughts, Hiro took a sip of water and asked his aunt, "and my mom? What were she and her…tenacity like when she wasn't being annoyed by the fact that you apparently look like an ancestral queen?"

Cass smiled, her eyes taking on a wistful quality to them as she let the memories of her beloved older sister wash over her. "We may not have always gotten along—though I guess that's typical of any familial relationship—but despite our flaws, at the end of it, she was my big sister. My hero."

Hiro subconsciously leaned closer, wanting to hear more of the other parent whose presence was elusive within his own memory. "When I was seventeen and it was time for my senior prom, your parents were actually chaperones at that dance. Elizabeth was vehement about being there; not simply to watch me at my prom, but to watch _out_ for me at my prom. Y'see, I was more of the outgoing and trusting sibling and occasionally I made friends with the wrong types of people." She quirked an eyebrow as she looked at her nephew meaningfully. "Do remember that while I am the more going one, I still stand by the fact that your mother was the more tenacious one. She was stubborn as all get out and then some."

"I remember coming down the stairs all glammed up in my dress, make-up, done up hair and those evil, evil things called stilettos. Elizabeth loaned them to me and I figured for one night, I could endure them. By the way, how on Earth does Honey lemon manage to wear heels all of the time let alone in a lab? And that girl does not walk, she either glides or _flutters. _She's got more sunshine in her than anyone I've ever met." When Hiro shrugged while laughing a bit, Cass continued, inwardly beaming at the young boy's laughter.

"I had been concentrating on making it down the stairs in one piece and when I looked up expecting to see my date, I saw your parents wearing formal attire like I was. Tadeo had an embarrassed grin on his face and my big sister wearing a bright yet tight smile that screamed 'I am doing this for you because I love you and you _will_ accept it.' I was mortified. I was seven_teen_! I didn't need my big sister to _babysit_ me anymore and besides! And this is a fun fact, I was a brown belt at the time, I could've handled myself!"

She was about to go on when Hiro interrupted her. "W-wait, hold on, y-you're a brown belt?!"

"Actually I graduated to a black belt when I was in college, sweetie," Cass replied.

Hiro slumped in his seat, eyes widening to the point of fine china status. "Unbelievable. Did…did Tadashi ever know? Why didn't_ I_ ever know?"

Cass shrugged, annoyingly nonplussed according to her nephew's mental grumbles. "There was no reason for me to demonstrate my techniques and skill." A beat. "At least not in front of you." She takes a sip from her water, desperately wanting to hold onto her façade of calm when all she really wants to do is burst into peals of laughter at the incredulous look on Hiro's face.

"Wh-what?! Aw, c'mon! You gotta tell me more!" Hiro pleaded. "I mean, I always figured you were kickass in some way, I just didn't _know_."

She held up her hand while holding back the giggles. "That's a story for another time, kiddo. Right now I think I was explaining how your mother's tenacity and my disastrous prom night went hand in hand."

Hiro let out a loud, dramatic sigh, his eyes rolling toward the ceiling. "Fine. Leave me in suspense then."

Cass grinned. "Consider it a test of patience. One of which, you are failing at the moment. Now, I left off with being mortified at seeing your parents all ready to chaperone my prom, right?" As the young teen nodded half-heartedly, she continued. "Well, as much as my sister was adamant about chaperoning the night, I was equally passionate about her _not_ being there." It was easy to recall the loud "conversation" the two sisters had about the younger Barnes's prom night. "I even tried getting your father on my side, but it turned out that despite being a devoted and loving girlfriend; Elizabeth had some blackmail on Tomeo that I'm sorry to say, I don't remember what it was.

Any case, I had lost the battle and when my date finally arrived, I had barely given him enough time to slip the corsage on my wrist before heading into the limo. At the very least, your parents merely followed us in Tadeo's jeep, though I suspect that's because he had half-dragged Lizzie toward the vehicle instead of allowing her to slip into our ride."

Cass laughed, "I remember feeling snarky because the night had actually gone pretty smoothly for the first two hours. I wanted to march up to Lizzie to tell her to go home, but—" Cassandra sighed, blowing hair out of her eyes. "That's when things took a sour turn. Now, I know I said I was brown belt then and that part was true. However, if you're an _inebriated_ brown belt…well, it just doesn't matter how skilled you are. All that goes out the window."

Hiro was alarmed. "Inebriated? You don't mean…?"

She nodded once, firmly. "Someone thought it'd make the prom livelier if they spiked the punch. And my prom date whom I thought was a decent, trustworthy guy decided to take advantage of my…loosened state, shall we say. I've got to admit, the finer details of that moment are as fuzzy for me now as they were then, but I do remember Tomeo telling me a few days later, that he and Elizabeth had seen what was going on. Apparently my date was getting a little too 'friendly' with our distance while dancing for their comfort as well as mine."

She shrugged one shoulder. "Guess I did fight back. Or at least attempted to. Your dad then told me that though he had started to head over in an effort to come to my defense, he only got a few steps ahead before your mother held him back and then proceeded to demonstrate to my date just what it meant to be the older sister of Cassandra Barnes and to never ever forget it." Cass's grin returned. "I heard she knocked out one of his front teeth."

"No way," Hiro breathed, mirroring his aunt's smile with a small one of his own.

"That's what Tadeo said," she confirmed.

"Wh-what? Dad said that?" Hiro couldn't believe it. "You mean he didn't _stop_ her?"

"Remember what I told you," Cass replied. "Your mother, my sister was very tenacious and if someone she cared about was in trouble, very fast. Tomeo didn't stand much of a chance in the way of stopping her."

The young boy in front of her leaned back and gave a slight laugh. "My mom was cool, wasn't she?"

"Yes, she was. But that doesn't mean that violence solves everything. Keep that in mind, Hiro."

He nodded and then sobered up. "I wish I could remember her. Her and my dad."

Cassandra's heart ached. "I wish you could too, sweetie." She reached out and took her nephew's hand. "But just because they're not here and they're not prominent in your mind; doesn't mean that deep down in your heart, they're not there either. Because they are. And they live on in photos, on videos, in me. As Tadashi lives on in you."

Hiro kept his eyes on the table. "Right," his voice was emotionless.

Seeking to distract him, Cass offered, "want to hear more on your parents?"

A thirty second silence stretched into centuries at a deafening pace before Hiro finally mumbled, "I guess."

"Hmm," Cass looked thoughtful. "Where to begin…well, they attended the same university in New Taiork. Your mother majored in microbiological engineering and your father majored in computer software development. They both graduated top of the class. As a matter of fact, your mother was valedictorian and if I'm not mistaken, your father was salutatorian. Your mother worked in a company that was looking to develop electrochemical energy conversion and your dad actually worked for SFIT as a professor at first and then got a position at D. Ward Industries."

Hiro had already perked up at this point. "Really? That's one of Krei Tech's biggest competitors."

"Yep. He was a senior technician and software developer if I'm not mistaken," Cass glanced up at the window, catching the stars beginning to fade from their dark background into a smoky pearl grey. The clock read five forty-five AM. The café would be opening in less than two hours and they both needed their sleep. Though, if anything, Hiro looked more awake and alert than before. Well, in any case, _she_ needed sleep.

Deciding to speed things up, Cass went on. "They got engaged in college, I think they were already that far in their relationship the night of my terrible, terrible prom. Two years after college came their wedding; another two after that Tadashi was born." She winced. "I'm sorry to say, but I missed your brother's birth; I had been studying in Belgiance for culinary arts.

Funny thing though, Lizzie wasn't really even mad that I missed the birth, after all, she had Tomeo, our parents (which still sometimes shocked Cass), her in-laws and friends for support. Nah, she was just mad that her little sister was overseas. It didn't matter too much that she was now a wife and new mother, Lizzie still felt like she had to take care of me too, despite knowing I was capable of handling myself."

She swallowed the lump returning to her throat and twitched her nose against the sudden rise of tears. Wow, she really wasn't expecting the pain and grief of losing her sister to slam into her so suddenly. Well, okay, it had been known to do that before, but not when she was in front of her nephews, not since Tadashi had caught her having an emotional breakdown ten years ago.

Like she said, she was so over being sad.

Hiro winced as he watched his aunt's mouth twist, her green-eyed gaze dropping to the table as she did everything in her power not to completely lose it. His mom sounded amazing and Cass got to live the years with her that Hiro had been denied, not to mention his father sounded like a great man whose spirit seemed to have lived on in Tadashi. Now the three of them had been lost to Hiro and Cass and it was up to them to keep them alive in other ways no matter how much the former wanted his brother to just be there in the flesh, heart beating and lungs breathing.

Now Cassandra had one fist formed and was breathing in through her teeth in an attempt to get her hitching breath under control. It was something that Hiro himself had done many times recently, so tired of succumbing to tears. He hurried out of his seat and over to his aunt's side, giving her a tight hug. "It's okay, Aunt Cass. You can cry. No judging here."

Cass laughed weakly as she leaned into Hiro's embrace, tears streaming down her cheeks as soon as permission had been given. She started to wipe them away. "I'm just…I'm just so afraid, y'know? It's been ten years since my sister's been gone. Ten years. A full decade. Yet it's like I just saw her yesterday because those memories are so strong. I…" her voice cracked. "I don't want them to fade."

Hiro bit his lip. Truth be told, he was terrified of losing his memories of his brother as well. He needed to commit Tadashi to his memory now more than ever. He was about to fish for comforting words to offer his aunt when she spoke again. "But that's our job, isn't it? To make sure that they _don't_ fade. Like I said a few moments ago, I've got memories of your parents in pictures, in videos…in my mind. And I've got to make certain that they're strong. But, I am human…we get older, kid. Soon, it's gonna up to you to keep the family memories alive when I start to become unable to."

And just like that, Hiro finds himself not necessarily wanting to think about the future. Not when Aunt Cass is all that he has left of his family. He hugs her tighter for a few seconds before slipping into his natural façade of teenage bravado. "Psh, Aunt Cass, you're not gonna need to worry about that. I'm a genius, remember? I'll find a cure for Alzheimer's o-or a way to make you immortal. You'll be good. No memories of yours will fade."

Cass merely laughs and decides to indulge in his bravado. "And what about if you make me an android or something? Could I last longer that way?"

"Probably," her nephew replied as he turned his gaze to the ceiling as he worked out mental calculations and their plausible outcomes.

"I'm not sure if I really want to become an android, kid!" Cass laughed. Before she could go on, a third voice joined their conversation.

"Hiro?"

The pair jumped before looking up to see Baymax standing on the landing near the kitchen. "Is it just me, or do you feel like we've been busted for something?" Cass asked out of the side of her mouth.

"Oh yeah," Hiro breathed as he nodded, eyes wide.

"It is now six-fifteen in the morning," the healthcare companion stated, obviously not aware of their murmurings. "You should have been in bed seven to eight hours ago." He then turned his gaze over to Cass and blinked his optic lenses at her while soundlessly scanning her. "The same goes for you, Cassandra. Without the proper amount of sleep your bodies require, neither one of you will be fully functional which can be hazardous to your own health as well as those around you."

Cass attempted to wave him off, "I've pulled all-nighters before, Baymax. I'm pretty sure I can do it again. I'll just crash from the eventual burn out once I close the café."

"That is not advisable," Baymax replied. "Sleep is required not only for your body to function at full capacity but as well as your mind. It is best that you do not open your café today or at least do it at a later time."

Cass sighed, dropping her head into her hands and rubbed her temples as she thought. She really needed more help around the place and truth be told, Hiro was just too busy to be of much assistance and she highly doubted that Baymax was programmed to manage a small restaurant. Besides, now that the robot had said something, Cass was finally noticing that her body was demanding to sleep. She caved.

"All right," she began. "I guess we won't suffer if I close the shop for one day, maybe I can even do just a dinner rush." She glanced over to Hiro. "What about you, little man? I highly doubt your professors would appreciate you dozing off in class, though it's not like students _don't_ do that."

Hiro laughed with a sheepish quality in the sound as he shifted from one foot to the other. "Yeah…I should probably get some sleep. I have a lot of ground to cover…I-I mean, work to do." He grinned tightly at his aunt who looked at him askance for a moment before standing up.

She wrapped him in an embrace. "Last hug," she said before releasing him. She gently patted the robot on the arm before slipping upstairs. At least now she was so overtired that she knew her sleep would be dreamless.

Cass could only hope the same for Hiro.

* * *

><p>First I just wanted to say to all those whom have reviewed, favorite or followed this story thus far, thank you. I didn't know if anyone would like it as was half-expecting not to get a single review. Really glad I was wrong.<p>

I know I could've gone into more detail with the past but I wasn't sure how to transition from conversation to flashback smoothly. I do have a plan to accommodate this chapter and flesh it out a little more. I'm going to make…well, I'm not sure if it's a spin-off or a companion, but a one-shot detailing as much as I can from Cass and Elizabeth's childhood to adulthood and going into the first year or so of Cass raising Hiro and Tadashi in her sister and brother-in-law's stead. Tadashi will be alive for the entirety of his part…I don't think I'm necessarily going to head into movie canon for this.

Okay, headcannon time! The whole Great Scottian descendent thing—well, first things first…are we mashing up names of countries all over the world for this universe or just San Fransokyo? Any case, Great Scottian= Great Britain and Scotland. I know Scotland is part of Britain, in case it's not obvious, I'm not all that clever with names. Now to the ancestry bit! I saw Big Hero 6 for the second time and I thought Aunt Cass's design reminded me a bit of Queen Elinor from Brave and decided to go with it. It's similarity in facial structure because Cass's hair is lighter and the Queen's eyes are brown, not green. If you don't see the resemblance, that's cool.

Also, I feel like Aunt Cass could totally kick ass if need be. Who's to say she's a damsel-in-distress, hm?

Another thing mentioning her parents being racist. I could be wrong on this but I don't think everyone living in San Fransokyo has Japanese blood in them. That being said, it could be that Cass's parents didn't approve of her sister marrying a Japanese man as Hiro and Tadashi are half-Japanese, half-American. And who's to say that the grandparents have to be dead in order for Cass to be the sole caretaker? Maybe there's another reason. But if more of the cast does have Japanese blood in them, I'm sorry I glossed over that fact and I'll correct it. Just point it out nicely, please.

Oh and a heads up, the next chapter lines up with a crucial scene in the movie and it's going to pre-dominantly be Hiro and Baymax. I'm not entirely sure if Cass will make an appearance, but she definitely will in the fourth one.


End file.
